25 of the best World Cup photos ever – in pictures

Our sports picture editor, Jonny Weeks, has trawled the archives to pick out some of the best World Cup images ever taken. From the iconic shot of Diego Maradona taking on six Belgium players in 1982 –
the real story of which can be read here – to the moment John Aldridge went berserk on the touchline at USA '94, the shots range from the eye-catching to the unorthodox, the unforgettable to the bizarre. Beneath each image is a short explanation of why it made the cut

This is a photograph of Geoff Hurst jumping in jubilation after scoring England's winning goal against Argentina in the World Cup quarter-final – and, yes, this is the full-frame image, not a post-production crop. Truth is, I don't think it especially matters that the upper half of Hurst's face is missing; somehow it still seems to work. The fraction of his mouth that we can see says it all anyway, and there's plenty of background context. In fact, the way he's leaping out of shot accentuates the dynamism of the moment. It's one of those cast-off images many people hate, but some people really appreciate in retrospect

Ireland's John Aldridge went berserk at one of the officials in a game against Mexico at USA '94 after it took an eternity for him to be allowed onto the pitch as a substitute for Steve Staunton. The gesture and the expression are what this shot is all about, but the peculiar lollipop sign and the richness of the colours add to its overall vibrancy

Jürgen Klinsmann hit the ground hard following a challenge from Pedro Monzon during the World Cup final between West Germany and Argentina in 1990 – some would say after minimal contact. The photographer captured the theatrics perfectly with Klinsmann at the peak of his performance, thrashing about like a fish. Monzon was shown a red card, making him the first player to be sent off in a World Cup final

This is the moment Roberto Baggio handed Brazil the 1994 World Cup. The contrasting poses of Baggio and Claudio Taffarel are hugely important, but the considerable emptiness of the frame – a intentional product of the aerial vantage point – is what really drums home the notion of Baggio being alone in his misery.

Argentina's Diego Maradona scored the 'Hand of God' goal against England in 1986. Someone simply had to capture it on film; Daniel Motz did. Imagine the relief Motz felt when he realised he'd bagged the shot. He must have recognised its potentially iconic status immediately

There's something wonderfully innocent about this shot of Portugal's Eusebio as he gives an impromptu pitch-side interview in 1966. It wouldn't happen in a million years nowadays. And just look at all the onlookers. I don't think football photographs get much more charming than this

It could be argued that the crop of this image is fractionally out, or perhaps entirely the wrong orientation (if only the image was vertical and the arc of the water spout was intact, was my immediate thought). But, ultimately, it doesn't matter; the elated facial expression, the fountain of water and the tension throughout his arms all combine effectively. It shows Italy's Marco Tardelli after his side won the World Cup in 1982

This is a rather oblique shot from the 2010 World Cup, and sometimes that's exactly what you want as a picture editor. So different was this image to the thousands of other contenders we received from the match that it was chosen as the front page of our sport section the following morning. Andrés Iniesta had, of course, scored the only goal in the final, hence its relevance

Here's the moment Alcides Ghiggia shattered Brazilian hearts at the 1950 World Cup. His was the winning goal of what was effectively the World Cup final between Uruguay and Brazil. The juxtaposition of the two main figures – the delighted Ghiggia and his crestfallen opponent – seems to encapsulate the moment perfectly. By modern standards the crop is terribly loose and weighted badly, but you just can't argue with a frame like this from 1950; it's gold-dust. Speaking of modern, the way the ball is heading straight for the camera is remarkably similar to the style many photographers now seek to achieve using remote cameras behind the goal-net

A memorable moment from Brazil v Turkey in 2002 for which Rivaldo would be rightly admonished. Only from up on high do you get a real sense of the foetal position into which the Brazilian had curled after being struck by the ball. His remarkable exaggeration of the incident (he'd been hit on the leg, not the face) seemed to completely throw some of the photographers closest to him; only a couple of them have even aimed their lenses at him. I think that's one of the reasons I like it

Another memorable moment, and boy is it a good shot ... by the photographer I mean, not by Holland's Frank Rijkaard, the player doing the spitting. I just like how oblivious Germany's Rudi Voller is to what is about to hit him

There are several versions of this image of England manager Alf Ramsey preventing George Cohen from exchanging shirts with Argentina's Alberto Gonzalez after their quarter-final in 1966. This one isn't technically the best photograph of the lot (the focus is a little shot through, to be honest) but it's the most amusing, simply for the way the incident has descended into a tug of war.

This photograph is probably on a par with Neil Leifer's photographs of Muhammad Ali in terms of how recognisable it is. The irony, as explained in this article, is that Diego Maradona wasn't attempting to take on a posse of Belgium players, as the image seems to imply. It's still a remarkable photograph, though, and one which seems befitting of a player of Maradona's special quality.

Name the player? Carlos Valderrama, of course. It's a bizarre image of a bizarre character. There isn't an inch of flesh or kit in sight. But the complete lack of context is irrelevant. It's Valderrama – what better way to photograph him?

This is a rather unorthodox shot from Argentina v Switzerland in 1966. I like to think the photographer was always intending to frame the action in this way, capturing the raking shadows of the players across the turf, though it may just be chance. Either way, the back-lighting gives it a great sense of drama

A familiar and painful image: Paul Gascoigne bursting into tears after England were knocked out of the World Cup by West Germany in 1990. Perhaps I'm being wet but I just think this image summed up Gazza's character as well as the tragedy of defeat, and when you look at it decades on, it still evokes genuine sympathy. Football photography doesn't often do that

Fans are obviously fundamental to any World Cup; after all, they provide the atmosphere. I like this picture of Argentina's fans welcoming their team onto the pitch because it's like a carnival. Everyone has just gone wild. Of course, the toilet roll arcing right towards the lens helps. No, seriously, I think it draws your eye through the frame and gives a sense of proximity to the hoopla. Without it the photographer would feel too far away

This image is simple and clean. It's Pelé fooling the Uruguay goalkeeper with the so-called 'runaround move' at the 1970 World Cup. Imagine how much more celebrated it would be if he'd actually scored. It could be as loved as the shot of him wearing a sombrero at Mexico's Azteca Stadium after victory in 1970

Everyone knows the obvious images from the 1966 final – the winning goal, Bobby Moore with the trophy, etc – but this one is just a damn sight more fresh and a damn sight more fun. It features a show-stealing jump from the England physiotherapist Harold Shepherdson. England's manager, Alf Ramsey, is pictured in the background, being congratulated, while the likes of Peter Bonetti and Jimmy Greaves watch on (to the right of the frame). Shepherdson brilliantly obliterates them all with his enthusiastic outburst.

The Holland midfielder Johann Cruyff did many beautiful things on a football pitch, but there aren't all that many photographs which showcase his skill. This one leapt to the top of a very ordinary pile partly because of his deft pirouette and partly because the Argentinian player in the background seems to be frozen with disbelief. It happened when Holland played Argentina in 1974, a game in which Cruyff scored twice

Of all the World Cup photographs, this one just makes me smile. It's a British sailor parading the North Korean goalscorer Pak Seung Zin after they drew with Chile in the 1966 World Cup at Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough; there's no especial reason to find it funny other than the sailor's outfit and his incongruous presence on the pitch with the exhausted footballers. It's just a great snapshot of a bygone era

David Seaman took some serious consoling after his gaffe against Brazil ensured England were knocked out of the 2002 World Cup at the quarter-final stage. Seaman had allowed himself to be lobbed from distance (not for the first time in his career) lest you have forgotten. This photograph shows that sometimes you don't need facial expressions to convey emotion. The lettering on his shirt and the two arms around his back communicate the story perfectly

There is a much more famous image of Zinedine Zidane walking past the World Cup after being sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 final, which France then lost. But this shot could be equally lauded. The caption doesn't state exactly when it was taken – it might not be the sending off – but it serves as a striking image of a career unfolding. The huge expanse of black sets the dramatic tone, while the haunted pose says all that needs to be said of Zidane's plight

If this were a definitive top 25 list of the best ever World Cup photographs (which it absolutely isn't) then this shot of the Argentina player Daniel Passarella being carried aloft with the World Cup in 1978 would probably be my number one. The colour of the skyline is absolutely electric and it's wonderfully fortunate that it compliments so neatly the various shades of blue in his shirt and in the supporters' flags. If he looked a little more triumphant, I sometimes think when I see this picture, would it be even better? Arguably, his drained expression is more apposite given the pressure Argentina had faced on home soil